Nearly everyone wants to be happy, but a lot of people go about it the wrong way. Your happiness is not on top of a distant summit. It's inside of you. Consider how the tips below can change your life, and do something about it.

Happiness Is Within

Everything on Earth changes, so basing your happiness on anything external is ludicrous. You've seen people come up with all of the latest distractions, and they're still not happy. Instead of basing your happiness on external things, let your happiness come from within. People often find distractions so that they won't have to focus on what they're thinking or feeling. Resist the urge to distract yourself in any way. Get to the root of whatever is causing you pain, resolve it, and release it.

Self-Care

If you feel guilty for doing things for yourself, it's time to take a good hard look at codependency. It is not wrong or selfish to take care of yourself before you take care of others. It doesn't mean that you neglect others, like your kids, but you develop a healthy understanding of your needs, and you meet those needs. Self-care can come in the form of just about anything: yoga, a long bath, taking a walk, getting yourself new leggings or getting a pedicure.

Let Go of Negative Feelings

Feelings only have two directions: in or out. If you keep them in, they can manifest in ugly ways. They bother you, pull at you, cause you to behave in harmful ways to others or preoccupy your mind so much that you are unable to attend to yourself or your life. If you let them out, you can let go of them in a healthy way. At times, you will need to resolve things and forgive, but expressing your feelings in a healthy way is important. For example, keep a journal to effectively let out what you think and feel.

Be the Best You

Everyone was created for something—even you. You have something this world needs; otherwise, you wouldn't exist. This means you need to be 100 percent you. You need to consider the things that you like, how you like your hair, how you like to dress, the "job" that you like to do and everything that makes you, you. Once you figure out who you are, being you will come naturally. It's refreshing and liberating to do the things you love.

Believe in Yourself

You should be your biggest fan, and you need to know that you can get in your own way too. Our unconscious minds have this ability to pick up whatever we think, and the unconscious mind regurgitates it ad nauseam. You have to decide to think new things—to choose to believe in yourself. You might be unaware of it at first, but chances are that you tell yourself negative things all day long. You might see that you are sabotaging yourself out of fear. It's time to realize what these thoughts are and choose a different way to go.

Give

If you identify with codependent traits, it can seem totally ironic that giving could bring happiness. However, what you have to understand is that codependents give in order to receive. They want people to need or affirm them. They sacrifice what they want or ignore their needs in order to meet the needs of others. This sort of "giving" creates emotional turmoil. However, giving in a healthy way gives a feeling of happiness that cannot otherwise be replicated.

Security

If you're insecure, you won't live life to the fullest. You'll always be afraid to dance, sing, talk, share, laugh or be yourself. When you love yourself and embrace who you are, you open up a whole other world to yourself—one that's full of endless possibilities. Imagine waking up in the morning feeling like "Today is going to be amazing!" That is completely possible, but it's up to you to get rid of the negative self-talk, say encouraging things to yourself, believe in yourself, and appreciate who you are. It doesn't make a lot of sense to be kind to others when you're critical of yourself.

No one can live your life but you, and this is awesome if you really think about it. You get to be the one who calls the shots. You decide whether you work from home, travel, eat chili for breakfast or listen to chill-downtempo music while walking your iguana. It sounds far-fetched, but that's the idea. Embrace life for all of its wonderful possibilities, and go for it already.